Looking at getting a 44 mag or bigger revolver. It will be used for hunting whitetail in pa. I'm looking at getting a revolver to put a scope on it. I already have a Dan wesson 357 but will not put a scope on it but I want a revolver to put one on and looking at a big hammer. I was liking the ruger super blackhawk hunter 44mag. But my question is should I look into any other big bore 454, 480, 500. I do plan on reloading. I just need some input from people that have big bore I've never looked into one untill now. I know I'll get an answer on why I want a big bore and the answer is because I do. I want some good knock down power with decent range for a pistol.
Big bore hand cannon
- Thread starter bungiex88
- Start date
22-rimfire
New member
My suggestion is you find a BFR in 480 Ruger/475 Linebaugh and put a laser sight on it. You will be good for anything in PA. It really is a great revolver. I mostly shoot 480's in mine, but if I want something with a bit more oomph, it can handle the 475. Another place to read up on big bores is handgun hunter magazine forum... it is mostly big bores.
The choice may depend on the kind of hunting you do... fields or woods.... I'm a woods hunter, so a 100 yd shot would be a long shot. I use a monopod with my scoped SRH.
Added: The Ruger Super Blackhawk hunter model is a good one too as is the Super Redhawk.
Years ago, I opted for the 480 Ruger in the SRH simply because I wanted something bigger than 44 mag and something that was set up for mounting a scope without drilling/tapping. I didn't want to do that to my S&W M57. It is my iron sight hunting gun.
The choice may depend on the kind of hunting you do... fields or woods.... I'm a woods hunter, so a 100 yd shot would be a long shot. I use a monopod with my scoped SRH.
Added: The Ruger Super Blackhawk hunter model is a good one too as is the Super Redhawk.
Years ago, I opted for the 480 Ruger in the SRH simply because I wanted something bigger than 44 mag and something that was set up for mounting a scope without drilling/tapping. I didn't want to do that to my S&W M57. It is my iron sight hunting gun.
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Cheapshooter
New member
My bog bore, hunting revolver is a Ruger Super Blackhawk 1st generation, unmodified with factory sights. Great for me at archery ranges now. But when my eyes were younger, and sharper 100 yards was no problem. One of my range games was busting up frozen, water filled gallon milk jugs with full power 44 Magnum loads @ 100 yds.
My handgun hunter now is a T/C Contender with scoped barrels in 223(chucks, crows, and coyotes), 7-30 Waters, or 35 Remington(deer), and a 10", ported 45-70 open sighted barrel(close range deer, but mostly just blowing up stuff!
)
If I wanted a scoped, big boomer revolver, and was willing to spend the money, my choice would be a S&W 460. With the 460 S&W chambering, like 44Mag/44Spcl or 357 Magnum/38Spcl you have the option of shooting the full powered 460 S&W, 454 Casull, or milder 45 Colt ammo.
My handgun hunter now is a T/C Contender with scoped barrels in 223(chucks, crows, and coyotes), 7-30 Waters, or 35 Remington(deer), and a 10", ported 45-70 open sighted barrel(close range deer, but mostly just blowing up stuff!
)If I wanted a scoped, big boomer revolver, and was willing to spend the money, my choice would be a S&W 460. With the 460 S&W chambering, like 44Mag/44Spcl or 357 Magnum/38Spcl you have the option of shooting the full powered 460 S&W, 454 Casull, or milder 45 Colt ammo.
Magnum Wheel Man
New member
1st off I think you could kill pretty much anything on the planet with the right 44 Magnum cartridge, & it's going to be cheaper to shoot that the others listed...
that said... my "bear get off me" gun is a Ruger Alaskan in 454 Casull, & yet I still have a 480 Ruger Alaskan on my "to buy list"... so I get the bigger bore attraction...
Ruger has just come out with both a 454 Casull, & a 480 Ruger Super blackhawk ( still Lipsy's specials ) but 1st reports ar that they are excellent shooting guns
I hunt with a cusatom 45 Colt barrel on a Contender... by design, the Contenders with longer barrels are smaller & lighter than the revolvers, with shorter barrels ( mine is a 10" barrel on my 45 Colt ) & right now I'm shooting hot enough loads, that the trigger gaurd makes my knuckle bleed with in 10 rounds of practice... the longer barrels & no barrel cylinder gap of course give a little higher velocities...
for hunting purposes I prefer regular magnum cartridges ( like 44, 480 or magnum level 45 Colts ) as they are quieter, & have less muzzle blast... than when you get into the 454 Casull & "super magnum" length cartridges... those are louder, & have more muzzle blast than I like to hunt with...
that said... my "bear get off me" gun is a Ruger Alaskan in 454 Casull, & yet I still have a 480 Ruger Alaskan on my "to buy list"... so I get the bigger bore attraction...
Ruger has just come out with both a 454 Casull, & a 480 Ruger Super blackhawk ( still Lipsy's specials ) but 1st reports ar that they are excellent shooting guns
I hunt with a cusatom 45 Colt barrel on a Contender... by design, the Contenders with longer barrels are smaller & lighter than the revolvers, with shorter barrels ( mine is a 10" barrel on my 45 Colt ) & right now I'm shooting hot enough loads, that the trigger gaurd makes my knuckle bleed with in 10 rounds of practice... the longer barrels & no barrel cylinder gap of course give a little higher velocities...
for hunting purposes I prefer regular magnum cartridges ( like 44, 480 or magnum level 45 Colts ) as they are quieter, & have less muzzle blast... than when you get into the 454 Casull & "super magnum" length cartridges... those are louder, & have more muzzle blast than I like to hunt with...
Have a need for a Ruger Super Blackhawk for no apparent reason. Fits my hand though. Same grip frame as my GP. .45 Colt seems right, but a .44 Mag could trick me.
"I want one." is reason enough.
Look into the local cost and the availability of brass and/or ammo. Even if you reload anything that's remotely unusual will cost more. Assuming you can find it, locally, at all.
"...my "bear get off me" gun..." If Yogi is on you, ain't no handgun that'll help. If Yogi is coming from less than 100 yards, it's too late as well.
"I want one." is reason enough.
Look into the local cost and the availability of brass and/or ammo. Even if you reload anything that's remotely unusual will cost more. Assuming you can find it, locally, at all.
"...my "bear get off me" gun..." If Yogi is on you, ain't no handgun that'll help. If Yogi is coming from less than 100 yards, it's too late as well.
One thing I will suggest you keep very strongly in mind as your work out the details of your budget is that handguns and their recoil impart irrational shock to optics. Compared to a rifle, it's like night and day.
I'm simply saying that if your budget is FIRM and you don't have a lot of money to play with, tip the scale in the direction of the glass or you may end up throwing money down the toilet when you wreck a lower priced scope with recoil. A safe bet is always going to be a Leupold because they make high quality and tough handgun scopes but more importantly-- they back all of them with a lifetime warranty in the event it does get torched.
If you put a Simmons scope on a .44 Mag, .45 Colt or any of the monster magnum revolver rounds, you'd be DAMN lucky to get through a whole box of ammo before it's wrecked.
I'm simply saying that if your budget is FIRM and you don't have a lot of money to play with, tip the scale in the direction of the glass or you may end up throwing money down the toilet when you wreck a lower priced scope with recoil. A safe bet is always going to be a Leupold because they make high quality and tough handgun scopes but more importantly-- they back all of them with a lifetime warranty in the event it does get torched.
If you put a Simmons scope on a .44 Mag, .45 Colt or any of the monster magnum revolver rounds, you'd be DAMN lucky to get through a whole box of ammo before it's wrecked.
No it would be nothing but leupold for optics. I learned when it comes to setting up a gun with optics you get what you pay for. When you cheap out it usually comes back to bite you. Now I see ruger came out with the blackhawk in 454 and 480 but why no scope mount and rings like on the 44mag it's kinda disapointing. I like the look of a blackhawk more then a redhawk. Can anyone inform me if they plan on making these bigger Blackhawks with there own scope mounts and rings like the 44mag hunter or not
Been using the 44 Mag in a SBH for a long time and have a Model 500 S&W. Neither have a scope as I don't need one.......yet.
Both are accurate and shoot well with my cast bullets.
Longest shot to date is 120 yds with the 44. Today, my range is mostly kept under 100 by choice. A scope might get me more yardage, but where I hunt with handguns, the extra range is not needed.
Both are accurate and shoot well with my cast bullets.
Longest shot to date is 120 yds with the 44. Today, my range is mostly kept under 100 by choice. A scope might get me more yardage, but where I hunt with handguns, the extra range is not needed.
Steve in PA
New member
I've owned and hunted with a Ruger Super Redhawk in .44 Magnum for over 20 years. It's been wearing the same Bushnell 2-6x for all those years.
jackmoser65
New member
The .44 Magnum still does a fine job on big game. I don't recommend anything bigger until you've mastered it.
Don't expect Ruger to offer the .454 or .480 Super Blackhawk with the Hunter barrel. Weigand does have a new no-drill mount for those guns though.
Don't expect Ruger to offer the .454 or .480 Super Blackhawk with the Hunter barrel. Weigand does have a new no-drill mount for those guns though.
turkeestalker
New member
RIDE-RED 350r
New member
S&W 460, fastest, flattest shooting handgun going. You can run the 200gr FTX for the velocity, or 240 and 300gr XTP Mags for heavier hitting and still faster than a Casull in both weights.
I have a 5" 460V, but the 8-3/8" 460XVR is the one that earned Smith the velocity title... It IS a big hammer, only one bigger and that's the 500. It should be noted that the 500 when loaded in "lighter" bullets is neck and neck with the 460 for speed if that's what you are after. The versatility in being able to use 454 and 45 Colt is a plus, although I have never fired any of those from mine.
Here is my 460V. I have had it almost 3 years now and still enjoy it.
I have a 5" 460V, but the 8-3/8" 460XVR is the one that earned Smith the velocity title... It IS a big hammer, only one bigger and that's the 500. It should be noted that the 500 when loaded in "lighter" bullets is neck and neck with the 460 for speed if that's what you are after. The versatility in being able to use 454 and 45 Colt is a plus, although I have never fired any of those from mine.
Here is my 460V. I have had it almost 3 years now and still enjoy it.
Prof Young
New member
You might look at . . .
All the guns noted above are fine weapons and would serve you well. Depending on your budget, on the less expensive side, you might want to look at the Taurus 44 mag raging bull. It has a ported barrel. I have a scope on mine and can keep all six shots in a six to eight inch circle at 25 yards (Well, usually I can.) I've taken white tail with it. It is a fun gun to shoot.
Live well, be safe
Prof Young
All the guns noted above are fine weapons and would serve you well. Depending on your budget, on the less expensive side, you might want to look at the Taurus 44 mag raging bull. It has a ported barrel. I have a scope on mine and can keep all six shots in a six to eight inch circle at 25 yards (Well, usually I can.) I've taken white tail with it. It is a fun gun to shoot.
Live well, be safe
Prof Young
Ruger Super Redhawk 44 Magnum
Its hard to beat the Ruger Super Redhawk in 44 Magnum. I bought mine in 1989 and its been perfect. I have a 2x Leopold EER on it, and its very accurate. I take the scope on and off depending how the mood suites me, and it always goes back to zero when reinstalled. I have a Hogue Tamer grip on it, and its a great, recoil absorbing grip. My SRH is 7.5"
Its hard to beat the Ruger Super Redhawk in 44 Magnum. I bought mine in 1989 and its been perfect. I have a 2x Leopold EER on it, and its very accurate. I take the scope on and off depending how the mood suites me, and it always goes back to zero when reinstalled. I have a Hogue Tamer grip on it, and its a great, recoil absorbing grip. My SRH is 7.5"
buck460XVR
New member
I think for a first time handgun hunter looking for a good gun for deer, a .44 mag is hard to beat. Ammo is cheaper than the bigger hand-cannon fodder and thus one can afford to practice more....which is what you need to do to hunt deer with a handgun, especially if you are considering hunting at distances that require a scope. I'd suggest hunting with your DW .357 first, tho. A .357 is fully capable of killing a deer at reasonable yardage, I killed several myself with one, with open sights, long before I got a .44 and even longer before I got my .460. Withing the similar yardage of a modern compound bow, a .357 is more than enough gun for deer. Millions of folks hunt deer with modern compound bows and go home with a filled tag every year. It comes down to limitations. While a bigger hand-cannon will give you increased range, it does not compensate for poor marksmanship or hunting skills. Far too many folks buy a .480 or a .500 and shoot a few cylinders worth of ammo thru them at a piece of paper 25 yards away and think they are ready to hunt deer at 150 yards. It's not just the tool, but knowing how to use it.
22-rimfire
New member
As mentioned before, the 44 mag is a good choice in whatever revolver you choose.
The scope thing.... I view it more as a positive (single plane) aiming device rather than something that hunting distances "require a scope". It is not an excuse to stretch a 357 mag in a revolver for 125 yd shots on deer sized animals. Using a scope on a handgun is an education.
The other hunting handgun consideration is the handgun going to be your primary gun or are you carrying a long gun also? That affects choice significantly in my opinion. If you hunt out of a box stand, the impact is less versus heading out into the woods to your spot.
The 2x Leupold EER handgun scope is hard to beat. I actually bought the one on my Ruger SRH in Central PA at a gun shop.
The scope thing.... I view it more as a positive (single plane) aiming device rather than something that hunting distances "require a scope". It is not an excuse to stretch a 357 mag in a revolver for 125 yd shots on deer sized animals. Using a scope on a handgun is an education.
The other hunting handgun consideration is the handgun going to be your primary gun or are you carrying a long gun also? That affects choice significantly in my opinion. If you hunt out of a box stand, the impact is less versus heading out into the woods to your spot.
The 2x Leupold EER handgun scope is hard to beat. I actually bought the one on my Ruger SRH in Central PA at a gun shop.
